Saran Protective Coatings Co. (SPC), the name of the company which had operated at the Site, was incorporated in 1950 and operated at this location from 1987 to 2002. Operations included recycling lubricants and manufacturing protective coatings for metal products, specializing in polyurethane coatings. Waste from SPC’s former facility on Oakman Boulevard in Detroit, Michigan, was also transferred to this location until 1987. This former facility became the subject of a Resource Conservation Recovery Act complaint in 1988 and a U.S. EPA removal action in 1996.
On May 25, 2000, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) responded to an April 2000 complaint concerning the Site. MDEQ inspected the Site and found SPC in violation of hazardous waste management practices (Part 111, Hazardous Waste Management, Michigan Compiled Laws (MCL) 324.11101, et seq.) and liquid industrial waste practices (Part 121, Liquid Industrial Wastes, MCL 324.12101 et seq. of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, 1994 PA 451, as amended.) MDEQ inspected the Site again on November 27, 2001, and August 28, 2003.
On June 13, 2000, MDEQ issued to SPC a letter of warning (LOW) concerning these violations. MDEQ issued additional LOWs on October 4, 2000; February 8, 2001; June 7, 2001; August 15, 2001; November 6, 2001; December 6, 2001; February 5, 2002; May 3, 2002; and December 26, 2002. SPC attempted to correct the violations but failed to comply, often because of financial difficulties. SPC ceased operations in August 2002.
In February 6, 2003, SPC informed MDEQ that SPC could dispose of the remaining materials when the weather was warmer. On March 20, 2003, MDEQ issued another LOW. On June 5, 2003, the owner of the property informed MDEQ that the remaining drums and the materials in the laboratory would be disposed of by June 27, 2003. This did not occur.
On August 26, 2003, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) called U.S. EPA Emergency Response Branch and informed U.S. EPA that, because SPC’s mail had been on hold for a long time, a USPS employee visited the facility. The employee noted that the facility looked abandoned and was not secured. The USPS employee observed several hundred abandoned drums.
On August 27, 2003, U.S. EPA contacted the owners to inform them of the need to secure the Site. On-Scene Coordinator (OSC) Jeff Kimble informed the owner that the gate and fence would have to be repaired immediately or U.S. EPA would have to complete that action for the safety of public health. U.S. EPA also informed the owners that the due to the Site being abandoned, a cleanup of the hazardous wastes would be required in a timely fashion. The owner’s contractor re-secured the gate and fence.
On October 7, 2003, U.S. EPA obtained official Site access to perform a site assessment. U.S. EPA observed approximately 400 drums in the buildings as well as numerous small containers and laboratory-sized containers. Also observed were storage tanks, totes, and bags of a white powder. Analytical results for samples collected from the drums and containers on the Site indicated the presence of corrosive and ignitable materials as well as solvent materials.
U.S. EPA has initiated a fund lead cleanup as enforcement efforts were not effective due to the PRP claiming the lack of needed funds to conduct the cleanup.
